30. That damn bastard is Fortunate to have her.

During their journey to Ifugao, Baguio, Briella remained quiet, catching up on sleep and only waking up when they needed to eat or when she needed to instruct their staff, along with Chelsey. She rode in a black van with Chelsey, her three makeup artists, and two assistants for her wardrobe changes. The photographers and Janice Ortega were in another van, deliberately kept separate to avoid attracting reporters looking for gossips. Upon reaching their destination, her companions ensured the area was safe. She received a call from Janice, advising them not to disembark until further notice. Alone with Chelsey in the van, she raised an eyebrow upon hearing her friend sniffle. 'Are you crying?" she asked Chelsey. 'Yes, is it bad?" Chelsey replied, wiping away tears. 'What's it for? Shouldn't you be happy about what's happening to me? I believe that's what best friends do," she stated. Chelsey gave her a look and approached her to whisper, 'Why didn't you tell me you hooked up with the King? You really let me embarrass myself in front of him, didn't you? Is that what best friends do?" she chided softly. She rolled her eyes. 'We're in an open area, Chelsey, keep your mouth shut for now, and we'll talk about this later," she said sternly. Chelsey fell silent and hunched over, but she didn't pay her any more mind. She grabbed her phone to inform they had arrived in Baguio. It was already noon, and she knew her husband was on break, waiting for her text message. Her heart raced as she remembered what he said earlier, probably the sweetest farewell she had ever heard in her life. He said, 'Us!" and not only that, he also said that he loves me! Jesus, if I weren't in my current situation, I'd probably be rolling around with excitement! 'Brie, you're blushing, probably thinking about Big Boss, huh?" Chelsey teased her. 'Shut up, Chelsey," she scolded her and blanked her expression. The van door opened, and Janice's smiling face greeted them. The cool breeze swept inside, bringing the freshness of the surroundings. 'You can come out. The place is safe," Janice said. She stepped out first, marveling at her surroundings. From where they stood, they could see the prestigious Banaue Rice Terraces, a pride of the Philippines. The sun was high, yet not scorching, and the air was fresh. It was a far cry from the city where pollution and intense heat prevailed. 'Wow, it's beautiful!" Chelsey exclaimed, grabbing her camera to capture the stunning view. 'Let's go inside and have lunch. This property is private, and we're the only ones here. We'll stay until you've finished the pictorials," Janice said, leading them inside the house. The house was simple, not as grand as the ones they saw daily. The furniture and other furnishings were made of bamboo and various types of wood, but they were pleasing to the eyes and brought peace of mind. One of these days, I'll invite Braun to come here. They found everyone in the kitchen, getting their food. They paused when they saw her, some seeming hesitant. She gave them a restrained smile. 'Please don't mind me; I'd rather see you comfortable eating in front of me," she said. They exchanged glances, and soon they smiled back, returning to their happy meal. May, one of her assistants, handed her a plate, and Janice also handed her one. 'Thank you," she said. May smiled back and returned to her meal. They had a joyful meal together, becoming more comfortable with each other. Chelsey became more talkative, and she couldn't help but worry that she might say something she shouldn't. She stole glances at her phone from time to time, and soon, a text from Braun came. Unable to resist, she excused herself briefly and said she was letting her meal settle. She made sure no one was outside before she called him. 'Hello?" she said. 'How was your trip? Have you eaten?" he asked immediately. 'It was okay; we arrived early and safe. And yes, we just finished eating. Have you eaten?" she asked him. 'How can I eat if my favorite dish is not here?" he said. She bit her lip, trying not to sigh at his teasing. 'I'm starting to think that you're obsessed with me, President Braun," she said softly, glancing around to make sure no one heard her. 'I love you, and I missed you. Maybe you're right, and I'm obsessed with you, Briella," he said, melting her heart even more. She couldn't speak for a moment, just staring into space. 'Are you still there?" she heard him ask from the other end. 'Why do I have a feeling that you're doing this so I'll come home?" she said, regaining her composure. She heard his gentle laughter. 'Bear with me, wife. It's only been a week since we got married, and I still owe you a honeymoon trip. It should be the two of us traveling together." Her face warmed again, and thankfully, she wasn't with him right now, or she knew he would tease her even more. 'Stop blushing. You make me fall in love with you even more when you do that," he said from the other end. 'I-I'm not blushing!" she stuttered in response. He just laughed and bid farewell. Even though she wanted to hear his voice more, she knew she needed to return inside. They might be wondering where she's been for so long. 'Please take good care of yourself, wife. Remember what I've told you this morning? If something happens to you, they're going to suffer worst. Bye, I love you," he said. 'B-Bye, I will. Take care there," she bit her lip and quickly ended the call. She felt embarrassed to say those words out loud. Yes, she loves him, but she still can't say it out loud, not yet. She was about to return inside when her phone rang again. Her expression darkened upon seeing Xander's name. 'Hello?" her voice was cold. 'Briella! Thank God you answered the phone! Where are you? Do you know what's happening here at the Agency?" he angrily asked. She raised an eyebrow and smirked. 'Xander, didn't I tell you that I'm on vacation? What do I know about what's happening there?" she replied casually. 'What? You've been missing for three days, and now you're telling me you're still on vacation? You're testing my patience, Briella! I want you to get on your feet and come here. I need you here, now!" he said firmly and authoritatively. 'I can't," she replied. 'Is there nothing else you do but defy me? What's your problem with me? Tell me the truth, are you dating someone behind my back?" he suspiciously questioned her. 'You're paranoid, Xander. Don't compare me to the flirtatious women around you. I told you I couldn't. Chelsey and I are in Bali. I need to breathe and get away for a moment," she said while gazing at the scenery outside. 'Bali? Did you go to Bali without telling me? And where did you get your money to spend like that?" he angrily asked. 'Why, Xander? Are you telling me where you're going? And about the money I spend here, I think it's none of your business. You know that money isn't a problem for me," she calmly replied. He remained silent on the other end, but she heard Matilda's voice whispering something to Xander, though she couldn't make out what it was due to its softness. 'I need to go; I'll be gone for two weeks. Bye," she hung up and saw Janice approaching her. 'Is there a problem?" Janice asked. She sighed and looked into the distance. 'It's my agency," she answered. 'Oh, I see," Janice nodded. 'I'm sorry if I ask you this, but I'm just curious, what will you do about them? I mean, my Boss announced that your company chooses Matilda and not me? Can you handle the media and netizens' questions?" she asked the woman. Janice laughed and turned to her. 'You don't have to worry about that. I'll always do what's right, besides, I think I know why Mr. Madrigal wants Matilda as our model for this magazine cover." She didn't react and waited for Janice to speak again. 'Yesterday, I got a direct message from Matilda. She says she'll do everything to be chosen as our model for the whole month. She also said that even if her talent fee isn't raised, as long as she's nominated for the model awards at the Asian Runaway Awards this year," she recounted. She raised an eyebrow at what she heard. She wasn't surprised by Matilda's actions because she knew she would find a way to get what she wanted. What she didn't expect was Janice Ortega's connection to the said Gala. Suddenly, an idea lit up in her mind; it seemed she already knew how to bring Matilda down completely. And she already wanted to laugh at what would happen that night; she would make sure it happened! By hook or by crook. 'Oh, by the way, a little tip, to be fair with you. You can be nominated and win an award if the judges are satisfied with your performance. Sun and Glow Fashion is one of the chosen to be part of the event's sponsors this year. It's all up to you now, Briella. I have a lot of faith in you and can't wait to see you flying high," Janice added with a smile. She smiled and nodded in thanks. She knew she could exceed this woman's expectations, even though she had been away from the camera for a few years, it wouldn't affect her. She had natural talent, and her hard work and training to become one of the most famous models in the world were no joke. If I could do it before, why couldn't I do it now? They returned inside the house, and the photographers detailed what she needed to do. Even the director couldn't resist and wanted to see her in action, but Janice stopped him, saying it would be better if they all saw her first shoot together. The next day, the whole team was busy, heading to one of the nearest spots for shooting. Before they went to Baguio, Janice had already arranged everything she needed to take care of what they were going to do now. From the cottage they were staying in, they had to ride horses to get to that place. They set up a temporary dressing room for Briella, and almost all of her team was excited to see her in the clothes she had designed herself. She first saw Briella when she was still in college and during the height of her career. Maybe if she wasn't mistaken, she was only nineteen when she saw her walk in a famous Fashion Runaway in Paris. Because of her love for designing clothes, she dreamed of building her own Fashion Boutique and promised that if she succeeded and her business rose, she would look for Briella and offer her a job. She was devastated when she found out that she left the company that held her and ruined her own name by breaching her contract. If she hadn't paid her previous company, she would have been blacklisted for sure and wouldn't be able to model anymore. 'Are we all ready?" the Photographer asked the staff who was busy preparing the props and lighting. One of the makeup artists came out of the dressing room, excitedly approaching her. 'Madam, she's a Goddess!" Let-Let said with great admiration on her face. She smiled and couldn't wait to see Briella herself. She signaled the Photographer, thinking Briella was ready. Today, Briella needed to change into three types of clothes. That's for each page featuring the woman. Her clothes were simple but it depended on the wearer and how she would interpret everything. 'Let's begin! Briella, you can come out now!" the Photographer announced. Almost everyone held their breath, looking at the dressing room, as if their minds were united and waiting for Briella to come out. 'Oh my God!" one of the staff beside her exclaimed. 'Wow!" Even she couldn't believe what she saw. She's wearing the Snow Tiered Dress, sleeveless straps, frill, and white. The length was only up to mid-thigh so her long and smooth legs were visible. It was perfect for her, and she designed it specifically for Briella. She knew one of her signatures before was her long legs, and she wouldn't allow it not to be shown. Her coffee-brown long wavy hair and her hazelnut eyes glow when the rays of the sun touch them. She's a perfect Goddess! She wanted to cry because she saw her beauty again, which she had hidden from the world for so long. It feels good to be one of her milestones to reach the top again. And, of course, that damn bastard is fortunate to have her.